• 3 medium zucchini (approx 450 grams)
• 3 organic free range eggs
• 4 tablespoons of goats cheese
• 3 teaspoons of butter
• pinch of nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Dice zucchini and steam for 5 minutes. Add zucchini to a blender and pulse. (You don’t want a paste but rather a fine consistency)
• In a bowl add eggs, melted butter, nutmeg and goats cheese – whisk to combine. Let the zucchini cool a little and add to the egg mixture. Stirring while you add so you don’t cook the eggs
• Fill your ramekin dishes and place in a water bath so the water comes roughly a 1/3 of the way up the ramekin. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. (This really depends on the size of your ramekins. Test mixture with a knife. If it comes out clean they are ready)

For Mum & Dad – fill babies ramekins firstly and then with remaining mixture add salt & pepper and continue with above steps

• 1 cup white quinoa
• 1 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil; melted
• 1/4 pepitas
• 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/4 cup currants

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F)
• Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl except for the currants and mix to combine. Add the maple syrup and mix and then the coconut oil and mix straight away to coat the mixture.
• Spread out on a baking try lined with baking paper and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and add the currant. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge (see note)

If using coconut oil and it is cold where you live, it will start to set when it is added to the mixture – so work quickly. Once cooked it will keep in the cupboard but if it is particularly hot where you live, the coconut oil will melt so you may want to keep it in the fridge.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

• 1 cup black sticky rice (black glutinous rice)
• 400 ml can coconut cream
• 180 grams palm sugar ,grated
• 1 cup shredded coconut or coconut flakes
• 1 mango ,sliced to serve

For the Black Sticky Rice

• Rinse the black rice well and add to a large saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 a cup of coconut cream and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer for 45 minutes.  Stirring often ensure it doesn’t stick.
• Once tender, remove from the heat, add another 1/2 cup of coconut cream and half the palm sugar. Set aside. 

For the Salty Coconut Cream

• Add the remaining can of coconut cream to a small saucepan with a 1/4 tsp salt and warm gently. Set aside.

For the Caramelised Coconut

• Add the remaining palm sugar to a saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and mix until the sugar has dissolved and bring to the boil. Add coconut and stir until coated and the liquid has mostly absorbed. Set aside. 

To serve

• Add black sticky rice to small bowls and top with salty coconut cream, caramelised coconut and sliced mango

Soaking the rice the night before or for a few hours before will reduce the cooking time.  The black sticky rice also freezes well if you would like to double the recipe. 

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 lamb shanks
• 2 onions , chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 strips lemon zest
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 large springs of thyme
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 400 ml whole canned tomatoes
• 8 tomatoes ,halved
• 500 ml (2 cups) stock
• 400 ml tin chickpeas ,drained

• Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).  Add oil to a dutch oven (or heavy saucepan with lid) over medium-high heat and brown the lamb shanks.  Set aside. 
• Add onion and fry until tender. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, lemon zest, bay leaf and thyme. Cook or 1 minute. 
• Add red wine vinegar and scrape any brown bit from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half.  
• Add fresh and canned tomatoes and stock.  Bring up to a simmer.  Return lamb, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours. 
• Remove from the oven and add chickpeas, stir through and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Serve with cous cous, mashed potato or crusty bread. 

If only serving two people I would still use the same quantities but with just two lamb shanks.  There will be enough of the sauce leftover to have a tasty meat free dish the following night. 

• 1 leek; sliced
• 2 garlic cloves; crushed
• 1 kilo of celery; chopped
• 1 large potato; diced
• 1 litre salt-reduced chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 small bunch of parsley; leaves only
• 200 ml double cream
• Celery leave to garnish *optional

• Add a splash of olive oil to a large saucepan or pot. Add the leek and garlic and cook until soft – about 10 minutes. Add the potato and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer until the potato is soft. Add the celery and bring to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes or until the celery is just soft. Add the parsley and double crew; stir and remove from the heat.
• Whizz in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve if it isn’t silky smooth and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot drizzled with olive oil. Garnish with a few celery leaves.

Serves 4-6 people.
Suitable for babies from 6 months, however I would leave out the salt and pepper for babies portions Adapted from Tom Kerridge’s Best Ever Dishes

Pastry

• 200 g (7oz) butter; softened
• 300 g (10 1/2oz) fresh ricotta cheese
• 300 g (10 1/2oz) plain all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• pinch of salt

Filling

• Strawberry jam
• *optional – icing sugar to dust on top

• Add the butter and ricotta to a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, vanilla essence, orange blossom water and a pinch of salt. Tip out onto a bench and knead together with your hands until the mixture comes together into a soft ball of pastry. (If not wanting to do it by hand, I have made this recipe in my Kitchenaid with a dough hook attached, it works out perfectly)
• Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 180 C/350 F. Roll out pastry with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, to a thickness of about 3mm, and into 10cm (4inch) squares.
• Put a heaped teaspoon of strawberry jam in the middle of each square and pinch the opposite ends together with a little water.
• Line an oven tray with baking paper and bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, and dust with icing sugar if using.

If the pastry feel a little wet just give the bench and your hands a good dust before rolling out it out.
Why not alternate the flavours and try strawberry jam, apricot jam, fresh fruit or even chocolate. It’s a great excuse to try all the flavours 🙂 Adapted from Twelve – a Tuscan cookbook by Tessa Kiros

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

• 3 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
• 1 onion
• 400 gram tin chickpeas drained
• 2 carrots roughly sliced
• small handful fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 eggs
• 3 slices wholemeal bread
• milk
• 100 grams feta (half a block)
• sesame seeds

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).  Remove pastry from freezer and allow to defrost on bench covered with a damp cloth
• Add onion to the food processor and pulse to chop. Add to a large bowl.  Add chickpeas, carrot and parsley to the processor now and process until finely chopped.  Add to the bowl along with the onion.
• Also add the dried herbs and 1 egg.  In a separate bowl add the bread and pour some milk over and allow to absorb.  Squeeze as much liquid out as possible and also add to the mixture.
• Using your hands, mix until well combined.  Crumble the feta into the mixture and stir to combine.  Small chunks of feta are good. 

To assemble the veggie sausage rolls:

• Cut a puff pastry sheet in half.  Add the chickpea mixture along the long edge (you can make them as big or as little as you like).  Add a little water along the edge and roll the pastry over to seal. 
• Cut into 5 rolls and add to a lined baking tray.  Continue with the remaining mixture and pastry. 
• Brush the rolls with the remaining egg (lightly beaten) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with tomato sauce or chutney.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

• 1/2 cup amaranth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Fresh fruit to garnish (peach, passionfruit, pomegranate)

• Rince and drain the amaranth.  Add to a saucepan with the water, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.  
• Bring to the boil, cover and then simmer for 25 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add more water if required.  
• Once cooked stir through the milk and maple syrup.  Top with fresh fruit.  I have used sliced peach, passionfruit, pomegranate, coconut, bee pollen, and extra maple. 

Suitable for babies if you omit the maple syrup

• 1 ripe mangos;
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• 1/2 cup cooled rooibos tea
• 1 tablespoon of your sweetener of choice (maple syrup / honey / brown rice syrup)
• Handful of ice-cubes
• 1/4 cup black large tapioca pearls

• Add a few cups of water to a saucepan and once boiling add your tapioca pearls. Simmer until the pearls are tender. About 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Leave to sit in cold water until you prepare the remaining ingredients.
• Add the mango, pineapple and ice to a blender along with the rooibos tea and blend until smooth. Add sweetener to suit your taste.
• Drain and add tapioca pearls to the bottom of your two glasses and top with the smoothie mixture. Serve cold.

Black tapioca pearls are available from asian grocersRooibos tea is available from supermarkets and is a great options for kids. Caffeine free

Add extra sweetener to suit your taste

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil ,or enough to cover the base of your frying pan
• 1 large onion ,finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic ,or garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 large bunch coriander ,finely chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon tamarind paste
• 500 ml water
• 600 grams ling fillets ,or any firm-fleshed white fish
• rice and shaved cucumber to serve

• Add olive oil to a frying along with the onion and cook until tender and the onion begins to colour. Add flour and cook stirring for a coupe of minutes. Add garlic, turmeric, ground coriander and sugar.
• Combine tamarind and water to a bowl an stir to dissolve.  Add to the pan and combine.  Partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 
• Dice fish into 2 inch sized pieces.  Add to pan and spoon some of the sauce over the top.  Season well with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. 
• If the sauce is still quite runny, remove fish and increase heat to high; reduce until it has thicken a little.  About 5 minutes. 
  Serve wth rice and a simple salad of shaved cucumber

Loosely based on a recipe from Sabrina Ghayour’s book Persiana